Archbishop: Deny Giuliani Communion

Roman Catholic Archbishop Raymond L. Burke is threatening to deny Holy Communion to presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani due to his support for abortion rights.

In 2004, the St. Louis archbishop said he would deny Communion to Democrat John Kerry.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported: “Asked if he would deny Communion to Giuliani if the former New York mayor approached him for the sacrament at the Cathedral Basilica, Burke said: ‘If the question is about a Catholic who is publicly espousing positions contrary to the moral law and I know that person knows it, yes I would.’"

Campaigning in New Hampshire, Giuliani dismissed Burke’s threat, saying: “Archbishops have a right to their opinion, you know. There’s freedom of relgion in this country.”

But the Los Angeles Times noted: “Burke’s comments threatened to reignite an issue that could prove troublesome for Giuliani among churchgoing Republicans – questions about how devoutly he practices his Catholic faith.”

Burke’s threat came as Giuliani is trying to head off a possible defection to a third party by James C. Dobson of Focus on the Family and other religious conservative leaders.

Roman Catholic Archbishop Raymond L. Burke is threatening to deny Holy Communion to presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani due to his support for abortion rights.In 2004, the St. Louis archbishop said he would deny Communion to Democrat John Kerry.The St. Louis Post-Dispatch...